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Inside the Giro d’Italia with Vittoria neutral support

The Vittoria Servizio Corse bikes are typically only used for minutes at a time - just long enough until a rider can get a proper replacement from their own team car.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

2 / 87

The BikeRadar office for Stage 20: Vittoria Servizio Corse car #2. The Skoda Octavia TDI wagon is roomy enough for people and gear, manuverable enough when things get sketchy, and the 2.0L turbodiesel engine was well up for the task with an impressive amount of punch.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

3 / 87

The Vittoria Servizio Corse bikes have to be able to accommodate any rider on any team but with so many sizes and pedal types, it's basically just luck of the draw.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

4 / 87

The Vittoria Servizio Corse crew usually does a number of wheel changes during any given road stage of the Giro d'Italia with a fleet of Shimano and Vision wheels at the ready. As it turns out, our car didn't have to swap any wheels during the stage but it was better to be prepared nonetheless.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

5 / 87

The spare carbon Pinarellos atop the Vittoria Servizio Corse car are built with Shimano Ultegra or Campagnolo Chorus componentry.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

6 / 87

Naturally, everything on top of the Vittoria neutral service car is fitted with top-end Vittoria tubular tires.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

7 / 87

The custom roof racks used in races like the Giro d'Italia aren't like the ones typically seen on consumer vehicles. These are designed first and foremost for quick access. The rear ends of spare bikes atop the Vittoria Servizio Corse vehicle, for example, are held in place with simple bungee cords.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

8 / 87

This is the typical arrangement of spare wheels in the rear of the car.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

9 / 87

Driver Dario Acquaroli watches attentively in the rearview mirror during the stage. Action is happening on all sides and situational awareness is critical.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

10 / 87

The Vittoria Servizio Corse crew fielded three cars and one moto during Stage 20.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

11 / 87

The headrest of the front passenger seat is typically removed so as to give the mechanic a clearer view of the road ahead.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

12 / 87

The neutral roll-out is now over and it's time to race. Riders wasted no time on this day, either, as the field was strung out in single file immediately, spitting several riders off the back - some of whom never managed to get back on.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

13 / 87

Acquaroli keeps the stage profile within easy view so he knows what's coming.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

14 / 87

The driver's seat is a busy area during a Giro stage. There's the constant chatter of the official race radio plus Vittoria's own vehicle-to-vehicle radio, too. A holster for a third is pictured but that wasn't in use this day. Acquaroli says the automatic transmissions on this year's cars are a huge improvement over last year's manual-equipped vehicles.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

15 / 87

Orica-Greenedge rider Jack Bobridge started the day off in a bad way, falling off the back immediately.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

16 / 87

A friendly chat between crews. The Katusha team borrowed (and broke) a Vittoria neutral wheel the day before. Both cars pulled over very briefly so the wheel could be returned.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

17 / 87

Our car was assigned to man the rear of the peloton. While we didn't witness the racing action right up front, there was still plenty going on back here, including the sad sight of Jack Bobridge (Orica-Greenedge) abandoning the race on the penultimate stage less than 10km from the start.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

18 / 87

An Orica-Greenedge team car pulled off in advance so Jack Bobridge could just pull off the road and hop in the car. This year's Giro d'Italia route was a tough one and though Bobridge was just two days away from finishing the race, Stage 20 was truly a monster.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

19 / 87

The first few kilometers are generally pretty quiet. Vittoria neutral service mechanic Riccardo Debertolis takes a minute to read the paper. It was going to be a very long day in the car and there was going to be plenty to do later on.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

20 / 87

There are few better ways to get close to the race than as a passenger in the caravan.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

21 / 87

Stage 20 offered up some amazing scenery as the road headed up into the mountains. We can't help but wonder if the riders even noticed, though.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

22 / 87

Vittoria Servizio Corse driver Dario Acquaroli is a former U23 mountain bike world champion and only retired from racing three years ago. He was clearly well known in these parts, too, with fans frequently yelling his name as we rolled by.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

23 / 87

Back here there are just as many support cars as there are riders. Technically speaking there is no drafting allowed but race officials oftentimes look the other way. In this case, these riders aren't looking for a competitive advantage - they're just trying to survive the day.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

24 / 87

Riders were lucky to at least enjoy beautiful weather on this day. The route was tough enough as it was without rain, cold, and wind factoring in as well.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

25 / 87

The top of the day's first climb, Passo del Tonale. Much damage would have been done at this point already.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

26 / 87

A Garmin-Barracuda rider rockets down the descent of Passo del Tonale, traveling at a much faster speed than the support vehicles. Acquaroli honked his horn to warn cars ahead that a rider was approaching.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

27 / 87

Stage 20 claims another rider.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

28 / 87

The roads of the Giro d'Italia play host to a wide range of players. Motos were buzzing around us all day.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

29 / 87

A Radioshack-Nissan-Trek rider catches a little relief from our car.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

30 / 87

Helicopters hovered overhead - and occasionally at eye level. We frequently had to roll up the windows to avoid getting blasted by the rotor's downdraft.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

31 / 87

We passed Mark Cavendish (Team Sky) on one of the earlier climbs, only to have him blitz right past us again on the following descent. Cavendish fought admirably on this brutal mountain stage but sadly lost his red jersey by a single point by the end of the day.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

32 / 87

An FDJ-Big Mat rider slingshots off the back of the car in hopes of rejoining the field.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

33 / 87

Support vehicle drivers have to be constantly aware of what's going on around them.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

34 / 87

Team vehicles have in-car radios but sometimes it's just easier to yell out the window.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

35 / 87

Feed zones are a busy area for the team support staff.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

36 / 87

We're not sure why this Astana rider pulled off his jersey but there was a TV cameraman perched on the back of a moto to catch the event.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

37 / 87

Still jerseyless, this Astana rider catches the draft of his team car so as not to lose too much ground.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

38 / 87

Issue resolved and jersey back in place, it was a tough bit of work to rejoin the field.

Bottles in place, this Colnago-CSF rider now has to burn a few matches to get back into the group and make his deliveries.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

42 / 87

Bottles often come with a little extra 'boost'.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

43 / 87

Race numbers for an event like the Giro d'Italia aren't like the paper numbers used in amateur races. These numbers are printed on supple, woven fabric for flexibility and have adhesive backings so as to present minimal interference with jersey pockets. Riders still apply a few safety pins just in case, though.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

44 / 87

Mechanic Riccardo Debertolis watches intently, ready to leap out of the car as needed.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

45 / 87

It was extremely slow going up the Mortirolo. We were passing riders even at this speed. It was also tough going for the support vehicles. We saw one police motorcycle on the side of the road just before the summit with a burnt-out clutch.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

46 / 87

The Vittoria Servizio Corse crew was there for mechanical assistance but also to help out the riders themselves. Team vehicles simply can't be everywhere so Servizio Corse is often a godsend.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

47 / 87

Out of nowhere, a bottle appears on the slopes of the Mortirolo.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

48 / 87

It's no easy task to deliver a bottle to a rider in these conditions. The roads of the Mortirolo was frighteningly narrow, extremely crowded, and super twisty.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

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Most of the riders were ok being just handed a bottle of water but several asked for their own bottles to be filled instead. Mechanic Riccardo Debertolis was frantically at work in the back seat filling bottles as quickly as possible as there were literally just seconds available.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

50 / 87

This was quite likely the best bottle of water this rider had seen all day.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

51 / 87

The Vittoria neutral moto nearly left this wheel on the side of the road in the commotion after a change but we were right behind to let them know it was there.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

52 / 87

Exactly how narrow were the roads up the Mortirolo? There was barely enough pavement for one car, let alone spectators and motos - oh, and riders, too.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

53 / 87

We rocketed down the other side of the Mortirolo, tires squealing at every corner.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

54 / 87

A Liquigas-Cannondale mechanic earning his keep with a quick bike change.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

55 / 87

The Dolomites were quite the sight to behold but to the riders, they represented a lot of pain and suffering.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

56 / 87

There was a short section of road under construction en route to the base of the Stelvio. The dust was so bad from passing vehicles that it was difficult to see the ground.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

57 / 87

Just 30km - but a lot of climbing - to go.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

58 / 87

Heading into the mountains yet again.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

59 / 87

Race helicopters are fitted with camera pods up front.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

60 / 87

The peloton was strung out nearly in single field heading into the base of the Stelvio.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

61 / 87

Sometimes riders just need a bit of encouragement.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

62 / 87

Situtated at the base of the Stelvio, the town of Bormio was out in force on this day.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

63 / 87

Just 20km to go on the road but for many riders, it would feel like an eternity.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

64 / 87

Zealous fans donned all sorts of outfits on the side of the road.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

65 / 87

Heading into one of the numerous tunnels as we wound up way up the pass.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

66 / 87

This fan enjoyed a unique perspective from his high-up perch.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

67 / 87

The Stelvio was a cruel way to end the day. Domestiques had largely done their work by this point in the stage and many just wanted to make it to the finish.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

68 / 87

Radio motos were busy feeding live commentary during the stage.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

69 / 87

Some fans, on the other hand, decided that virtually no costume at all was best.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

70 / 87

Riders simply toss empty bottles on the side of the road. Normally this would be considered littering but eager fans snatch up virtually everything.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

71 / 87

On the one hand, the switchbacks heading up the Stelvio are a beautiful sight but then again, it's also hard to ignore what lies ahead.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

72 / 87

The maglia rosa group makes its way up the Stelvio just ahead of our car.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

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The view back down the valley as we approach the summit of the Stelvio.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

74 / 87

Water from melting snow was cascading down the side of the road.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

75 / 87

Just 5km to go now but still a fair bit of climbing to do.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

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Liquigas-Cannondale team leader Ivan Basso would suffer greatly on this day.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

77 / 87

A fan takes in the scene on the side of the road.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

78 / 87

Maglia rosa Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha) and eventual overall winner Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Barracuda) were locked together for much of the climb.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

79 / 87

This fan covered himself in the pink pages of the Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

80 / 87

These resort workers took advantage of some of the available equipment to give themselves a better vantage point.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

81 / 87

These fans waited up here for hours just for a glimpse of their favorite riders.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

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Fans traveled to the Stelvio from all over the globe.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

83 / 87

Just 100 meters to go now. Our day is just about done. Vehicles are obliged to exit the course just before the finish.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

84 / 87

Needless to say, it was cold up here and on a long stage like this, riders arrived relatively late in the day. Temperatures dropped quickly.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

85 / 87

Vittoria Servizio Corse driver Dario Acquaroli at left and mechanic Riccardo Debertolis can finally get out of the car and stretch their legs a bit after seven straight hours in the car with not a single rest stop. It was still another three hours to get to our hotel for the evening on top of that.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

86 / 87

The entire Vittoria Servizio Corse crew, standing in front of their hospitality bus at the final time trial in Milan. Vittoria Group president and CEO Rudie Campagne is standing in the center with program manager Veronica Passoni to his left.

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

87 / 87

The view from the finish of Stage 20 atop the Stelvio was stunning with the late day sun, bright blue sky, and blanket of snow.

Team support cars in the Giro d'Italia can't always be at the right place when they're needed. Vittoria's Servizio Corse neutral support program fills in the gaps with spare wheels and bikes, water and sometimes even just a little encouragement. We had the privilege of being a passenger in Vittoria car #2 for Stage 20's epic journey from Caldes to Passo dello Stelvio for a firsthand look at what goes on behind the scenes.

Vittoria fielded four vehicles on this day, including three cars and one motorcycle. Our car was assigned to the rear of the peloton, a role that would normally see heaps of wheel changes but the generally high-quality roads presented few challenges in terms of equipment. As it turns out, our car didn't service a single bike during Stage 20 and we mostly just dutifully followed along, ready to serve as needed from handing out bottles of water to providing the occasional helping hand to riders just struggling to survive the day.

It's a unique perspective at the back of the peloton, and one that isn't often shown to the public, with riders falling off the pace, various teams servicing their own riders, and the sad sight of several riders abandoning the Giro so close to the final day in Milan. There was also plenty of spirited driving as we rocketed down mountain passes trying in vain to keep up with racers along with surgically precise maneuvering on the way up along treacherously narrow roads littered with ravenous fans of struggling riders.

Riding in the caravan is an eye-opening experience that every cycling fan should get to enjoy at some point in their lifetime. Watching the race on television or on the side of the road is one thing, but sitting there inside all the action is another thing entirely.

Oh, and one word of advice: Never, ever buy a used team car.

Bottles often come with a little extra 'boost'. : bottles often come with a little extra 'boost'.